


Lovesick Fool

by cissyxavier (eriklehnsherr)



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post Beach Divorce, Yes I'm trying to convince you that this has a happy ending, and I am not a heartless person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-12 23:23:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2128332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eriklehnsherr/pseuds/cissyxavier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Had it been really three years? Charles asks himself, however silently. He doesn't want to admit it to himself, but he think it's about time. No one had spoken about the incident to him since, but Charles figures he should— <i>Erik's not going back.</i></p><div class="center">
  <p>---</p>
</div>The title 'Lovesick Fool' is taken from The Cab's song with the same title.
            </blockquote>





	Lovesick Fool

_Three days._

It had been just three days, and Charles still won't admit anything to himself. Nor is he willing to admit anything to the sandalwood-scented turtleneck jumper carelessly left lying on the other side of the bed three days ago by someone whom Charles thought he knew so well.

The scent is still there, mocking him. Laughing and staring at him like the Devil.

How he thought he had known Erik well— he had been so, so wrong.

Those nights they had spent together are meaningless now. But then, so is he.

Meaningless. A pathetic man in his early thirties who can't bloody walk. Locking himself out on his room, crying and pining over an insensitive man who had never loved him and only used him to achieve his own means. Having nightmares, unable to control his telepathy in his sleep and in turn, letting his students know what he's feeling. Meaningless and worthless.

He knows it will all come to this. He knows the thing between them, whatever it was, was not meant to last... but why does that hurt _so_ much?

Pathetic, indeed. Crying his eyes out. Emptying himself of all emotion as he stares at the unfinished chess game on their table.

But then, as Erik once told him while they were playing the unfinished game, that you have to be empty first before you can fly again.

\---

_Three days._

It had just been three days, and Erik still is staring at his yellow suit hanging on the corner of the empty hotel closet. Why is he still keeping it? It wasn't like him to keep things with _sentimental value._

A strong reminder of his own betrayal, perhaps?

 _No_ , he says to himself, _you didn't betray anyone. You both know this will happen eventually._

He knows he's lying to himself, but he also knows that there's no point trying to deny it. He betrayed Charles.

He's angry. Irrationally and monumentally angry towards Charles for no reason. Naivety, perhaps, of the telepath? Maybe because he refused to go with him? No, not that, either.

Perhaps because people always feel strong hatred towards those they have wronged. It's easier to direct the said anger to someone else, because if Erik were to be honest, he find it easier to hate Charles than hate himself for things that he should have done a long time ago.

Erik knew all along that something had died inside him when his parents died, but he was unable to pinpoint it until now.

His heart died when he saw his mother die. It was brought to life again by a stranger who saved him from a suicide mission.

And now that the stranger is all but within reach, it had died again, never would it be brought alive again by someone else.

What is it that his mother used to tell him about those stories of love and tragedy that she always read to him as a child?

_It's better to have loved and lost than never loved at all._

He would never forget what he had loved... and lost.

His Mutter. His Vater.

His Charles.

\---

_Three years._

Had it been really three years? Charles asks himself, however silently. He doesn't want to admit it to himself, but he think it's about time. No one had spoken about the incident to him since, but Charles figures he should— Erik's not going back.

"I'm not getting any younger," He says one day to Logan. Jokingly. He doesn't want the man to get the wrong idea.

"You should get married before you lose your hair."

Charles laughs, yet something inside him twists in an ugly way.

Easy to say for Logan.

Easy to say for someone else without an Erik-shaped gap on their life.

\---

_Three years._

Had it really been three years?

Today is the day Erik will stop counting the days.

His cape billows about behind him in the wind. On his arm was his helmet, just in case. Hell, he will never know if he's going to need it.

Normally, he doesn't wait for someone else to open the door. He just walks in, strides in like he owns the place. Now, however, is not the time and the place. He knocks.

Once again, he's as uncertain as the child that he once was.

Uncertain if he'll survive today.

"Coming!" A voice, the voice that had always set Erik's heart beating wildly on his chest comes from inside. One second, and the one who opens the door stares at Erik.

Erik lets his helmet fall on the floor as he kneels in front of the man on the wheelchair.

Charles feels his eyes water. The prodigal lover had come home.

\---

_Thirty years._

Looking back, it had been a good thirty years.

Charles smiles at Erik and beckons him closer with a finger. Erik shakes his head, mirroring the same smile on the telepath's face.

"Your tie's gone a bit out of alignment," Charles says as he reaches for Erik's tie. He then straightens the lapel of the metal-bender's jacket and pats his chest twice. "There. You're still as gorgeous as the first time that we met."

Erik huffs. "I was drenched as ducks when we first met."

"And so am I." Charles smirks. It takes just a second before they start on laughing again.

The metal-bender was the first one to recover. When he speaks, he sounds more serious. "Casting the drenched-as-ducks comment aside, you are the most beautiful man I had ever met in my life. And thank you for forgiving me and taking care of me and everything."

Someone claps.

On the doorpost, Alex Summers is smiling. Beside him is Raven, Sean, Hank and Logan.

"I'm afraid you have to save the speech later. Best not to keep the students waiting." Raven smiles. "Come on, guys. Let's leave the groom and groom to prepare themselves of be cheered upon."

As the others are leaving to go and celebrate with everyone else, Charles looks at Erik and smiles softly. Today, this man had been made his and his alone. Thirty-three years and three days after they thought it was all over. The ring on the metal-bender's finger is a proof of their bond.

"I never stopped counting the days, too." Erik kneels in front of Charles and takes his hand, delicately kissing each of the telepath's knuckles, then the ring. It appears that Charles had projected his thoughts to him again. "The same way that I had never stopped loving you."

"I suppose it's about time we stopped counting the days and begin to live it while we still have it." The telepath clasps Erik's hand and squeezes it gently. "And I must say, I really love to flaunt my ring to everyone else, so can we just get out there and not keep the people waiting?"

"Ah, Charles. Always the impatient one."

"Just this once, I don't want to make a complete mess of things by delaying them. We have waited long enough. I want them to see that I'm yours, and you're mine." Charles looks up at Erik, then at the door leading to the huge living room turned to a dance floor, just for this event.

Erik holds the door handle, looking back at Charles with that shark-like grin. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Charles smiles, as his husband— _his husband!_ — opens the door.

Yes, he's ready for everything as long as Erik's by his side.


End file.
